Home Winterization: 5 Handy Household Tips for Weathering Winter


 

Winter is the most magical time of the year. However, if you don’t prepare well for it in advance, it can also be the most stressful one. That’s why you need to make sure that you inspect your house closely – both inside and out – and see if there’s anything you need to take care of before the cold weather starts.

To help out a bit, we’ve prepared a list of things that will require your immediate attention before winter starts, so that you can relax and enjoy the weather once it actually does. Check them out.

Inspect windows and doors

The first thing you should inspect before the cold winter winds start is the state of your doors and windows. If these are not in great condition or you notice that there’s any draught in your home, you need to remedy the situation before winter. Otherwise, you will end up wasting a lot of energy on trying to keep your house warm without actually being able to do so. If you can’t really afford to replace them, you can always apply fresh caulk and get some draught stoppers before you actually need them.

Leave no room for electrical problems

Electrical problems are never convenient to deal with but winter is one of the seasons you certainly don’t want to have any electrical problems. Most houses nowadays are being heated by using electrical energy, so if anything happens to go wrong with your grid, chances are you’ll be left with no way to warm up your home, water or even food. That’s why you should call in experts to inspect your grid before winter temperatures roll around so that you can rest assured knowing that you’ll be able to keep your house cozy once they do.

Prep your garage

Your garage is another part of your home that needs to be taken care of. Since most garages are attached to the home, you should see if the insulation on the shared wall is good. If not, reinsulate it, to prevent any heat from escaping. Also, you will need to make sure that you lubricate any moving parts – such as door handles or hinges to prevent them from freezing. Finally, ensure that there’s enough room for your car in your garage, as winter is certainly not the season to keep your car outside. Ideally, you should also get your hands on a durable car cover you can use to protect your vehicle even further during extremely low temperatures. These will not only protect your car from elements, such as snow, rain and wind, but they will also keep your car somewhat warm, reducing the chance of windows or paint getting damaged in any way.

Inspect your chimney and roof

Your chimney and your roof, in general, are another two parts of your home you need to pay special attention to. If you have a fireplace you are actually using to keep your house warm, you will need to ensure that your chimney is clean. Besides, how do you expect Santa to come down and leave presents if your chimney is blocked? On a serious note, a blocked chimney can cause a lot of issues so make sure you take care of it before winter kicks in. When it comes to your roof, make sure that there’s no damage going on that could potentially lead to more serious problems, such as water damage from thawing ice or snow.

Protect your pipes from freezing

In the end, when outdoor temperatures drop the chances of your pipes freezing up increase significantly. And the last thing you want to deal with in winter is frozen pipes. So, before the temperatures drop, inspect your pipes and see if they’re in mint condition. Also, try to run water as often as possible to keep them heated. If, for instance, you have any exposed pipes outside of your home, make sure you wrap them tightly with pipe insulation to prevent them from freezing. Alternatively, you can even use a heat tape of heating cables with a thermostat to ensure that your pipes are always at a safe temperature.

While none of these things are difficult to take care of people can simply forget to do so. That’s why it is very important that you stay on top of your chores and winterize your home before the cold weather gets the chance to create any problems.  

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